CEO update – Parent Participation

This current period is always busy as we begin a discussion on commissioning services and renewing existing contracts. We have a few new proposals planned that focus on therapeutic family support following feedback from a number of parents. Experience shows waiting times to access therapeutic support are long, and then isn’t always a good fit as they are not fully aware of the complexities of child exploitation.

A parent and I travelled to Newcastle and delivered at Regional organised crime unit national event. Following this event, we have forged a number of new and promising relationships with regional ROCU leads to look at Pace’s involvement with their services, promoting the relational safeguarding model and supporting engagement with families. Two parents spoke to the audience, one in person and one via video link.

Thank you to all of the parents who contributed to the Debt Bondage Guide. We are continuing to work on this publication with the Home Office and the National County Lines Coordination Centre and we hope to publish and distribute the work in late spring.

The co-located Parent Liaison Officers team have facilitated a parent residential support event and attended a number of events to deliver awareness and has also been invited to participate in and lead workshops to contribute to new services that are being established within local authorities.

The national parent support team facilitated a parent residential support event and has reported an increase in prosecutions of those exploiting children and young people.

Overview of training delivered to December 2022

We have completed 5 large training contracts with local authorities. All had a bespoke programme built which ranged from 4 days to 18 days. All had parent co-facilitators and focused on practice change and the development of trauma-informed relational safeguarding approaches. We also piloted a SEND course which had great feedback. We are making some amendments ready for the next session in December. The SEND course was created following a parent support group which was piloted in the South. Over 90% of parents attending had children with a diagnosis or awaiting diagnosis. Parents felt that there was a lack of understanding in professionals’ responses to their situations, which left them feeling further isolated and worse, having responses that increased risk and harm for their children. In collaboration with a parent who attended the session, we have created a SEND course to develop professional responses in this area.

From September 2022- January 2023 we have trained over a 1,000 professionals from the following sectors:

  • 41 Police
  • 9 Health
  • 6o Education
  • 698 Children’s Social Care
  • 55 Children’s homes
  • 44 Council
  • 32 Charity
  • 70 Pru
  • 36 Other